1. Thermal Pollution
By Alec Vartanians, Marianna Gardina, Priscilla Yoon, and Scott Slattery

2. Definition
Thermal pollution is the degradation of water due to a change in the water’s ambient temperature caused by human activities.

3. The Sources of Thermal Pollution
Deforestation decreases the amount of shade, warming up the water
Power plants use up the water to cool themselves down, but dumps very hot water back
Soil erosion raises the water level, exposing the water to more sunlight
Runoff water gets warm from paved surfaces

4. Natural Causes
Natural causes like volcanoes and geothermal activity under the oceans and seas can trigger warm lava to raise the temperature of water bodies.

5. Production and Manufacturing plants are biggest sources of thermal pollution. These plants draw water from a nearby source to keep machines cool and then release back to the source with higher temperature.

6. Effects of Thermal Pollution
Warmer Water
Increases organism’s metabolic rate
Decreases dissolved oxygen content
Algae may overwhelm the water
Colder Water
Reduces water productivity
Water organism’s metabolic rates may decrease

7. Remediation
Easiest way would be to shut off all power plants and industries but this is realistically impossible
Realistic ways to prevent it are cooling the water before being released to the environment by using cooling towers

8. HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!!!
LETTING THE WATER SIT FOR A TIME BEFORE IT IS RELEASED ALLOWS THE WATER TO RETURN TO NORMAL LEVELS
THIS MAKES THE ENVIRONMENT HAPPY…
...UNDER THE SEA

9. Bibliography